DUI Victims Moving Memorial brings solemn lesson to Delco

MEDIA -- It was 26 years ago but Mary McKenna vividly remembers the last time she saw her 25-year-old son, John.

"He comes over and puts his arms around me," the Marple resident recalled. "He says, 'Mom, this is going to be a late night. I'll see you in the morning.'"

The morning never came for him. John H. McKenna was killed in a drunken-driving accident on Nov. 24, 1986. His mother said his friend was behind the wheel.

"That was my last kiss with my son, John," McKenna said. "I'd sell my soul to get another kiss."

Reassembling her life after that has been challenging.

"It wasn't nice," she said. "It wasn't pleasant. It never is."

McKenna was outside the Media courthouse Wednesday to see her son's name on the Pennsylvania DUI Association's DUI Victims' Moving Memorial as part of the "Operation Safe Holiday" campaign in which PennDOT, the state police and Delaware County Council and the district attorney's office are encouraging people who choose to drink to designate a driver or take public transportation.

"All it takes is one time, one arrest, one accident to turn your life upside down," county Councilman Dave White said.

In the Media barracks for the Pennsylvania State Police alone, there have been 510 DUI arrests this year, state Trooper Rosemary McGuire said.

"And, we're not done yet," she added.

District Attorney Jack Whelan said offenders often regret their actions.

He said he's heard them say, "If I could do it all over again, I would have never had that second drink and I probably wouldn't have had that first drink."

The results can be catastrophic.

According to PennDOT, there were 1,994 crashes and 19 fatalities statewide last year during the Christmas and New Year's travel periods.

In Delaware County, there were 308 crashes during that same time -- 36 were alcohol-related and one was a fatality.

There were more than 1,000 names on the 25-foot-long memorial, commemorating those who were killed by a drunken driver. The memorial is a replica of the permanent one outside the Harrisburg headquarters of the Pennsylvania DUI Association.

Wednesday was the first time McKenna had seen her son's name on the wall.

"It should say first lieutenant," she said. "It should say, 'United States Air Force.'"

McKenna shared that the 1979 Cardinal O'Hara graduate had just gotten married and was stationed in Germany but came home for Thanksgiving.

"He was killed the Monday before Thanksgiving," she said.

Looking back at her son's name, she added, "Just sad -- he's on a wall -- isn't it?"

The mom spoke of how her son was a man of dreams and passion and her passion has become sharing her experiences with others. She speaks before DUI offenders twice a month since the year after John's death.

"I keep trying," McKenna said. "I keep trying to save a life. It's been difficult. What are you going to do? You pick up and try to do something positive."